


We Have You

by alafaye



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 03:15:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5523317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He could have turned them down, but his answer wouldn't have been no.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Have You

**Author's Note:**

> Written for day 24 of the advent challenge and the prompt 'family outing'.
> 
> Masterlist for advent fics is [here](http://alafaye.livejournal.com/437913.html).

Severus looked up from the tome -- _Medieval Potions: What We Can Learn From Their Mistakes_ \-- when Draco barged into the library, dressed not unlike what the Muggles might call the Abominable Snowman. Not that it was much of a surprise. Draco loved snow and last night the first significant amount had fallen. The grounds looked like a winter wonderland and Draco would undoubtedly want to go out.

"Come on, Uncle Severus!" Draco shouted. "It's time to go out!"

Severus sighed and looked behind Draco at Lucius who was dressed for the outdoors. "Must I?"

Lucius smirked when Draco gasped. "Of course you have to come! Mum says that a family outing is a must!"

"Oh, Narcissa said so which makes it law," Severus teased. "Then if I must, I must."

Draco cheered and led the way to the entrance hall where Narcissa was pulling on her gloves and instructing one of the house elves to have dinner ready in two hours. She winked at Severus when he scowled at her. Lucius held out a new black coat to Severus, one that was far more expensive than anything Severus could afford himself, even with his generous salary from Hogwarts. There was no arguing with them, however. Draco danced around, anxious to go out, and kept rounding back to Severus, urging him to get ready faster.

"Don't tease," Narcissa chided playfully. 

Severus narrowed his eyes at her, but she only smirked and opened the door. "Ready, Draco?"

He cheered and led them all out of the house. The front path had already been cleared, but Draco led them down around the garden and skirted the woods. Lucius kept up with him, but Narcissa lagged toward the back with Severus. She quietly slipped her hand into his.

Severus stiffened. "What are you up to? You and Lucius both."

"Courting you," she explained, her tone implying that it should have obvious.

He halted. "Courting me?"

Her face was innocently blank, but her eyes were warm. "Of course. Lucius looks back on your boyhood relationship with fondness. He's never stopped loving you and in my own way, I've come to love you, too. As has Draco. We want you and we want you to be part of our family."

Distantly, Severus heard Draco calling for them to keep up and Lucius telling him to give them time. None of it mattered because for Severus, this was... It felt like the place where his life divided. He'd known that Lucius still cared for him and that in her own way, so did Narcissa. Draco loved him wholeheartedly, never holding back from demonstrating that. But asking him to join them? 

"Why?" he begged finally.

She sighed, a sound that was filled with loving amusement. "Because we all love you and you love us. Don't you deny it, Severus Snape. Love is possible for all of us and I know you feel it. Others can feel it for you. Why then should we not let love fill us all up and make our days together blessed?"

He looked down and away. "Not for me. Love isn't for people like me. It passes us by without consideration."

She cupped his cheek and forced him to look at her. "I could spend all afternoon arguing this with you. I could. I would much rather spend a lifetime teaching you, showing you, that you can love and are loved in return."

"Severus!" Draco pleaded loudly. "Hurry up!"

Lucius had his hands on his son's shoulders, eyes begging for Severus to come with them. Narcissa squeezed his hand. Severus looked between them, still to scared to hope. 

"Please," Narcissa whispered.

It sounded so much like his mother, asking him to go upstairs for a little bit, so he was safe. It had been done out of love that begging, that plea for him to let her protect him. Love. He was loved once; could he let himself be loved again?

He squeezed Narcissa's hand again. "I'll try."

She smiled. "That is the best we can hope for right now. Thank you."

Lucius was grinning when Severus and Narcissa joined them. Draco was beaming. "So we're all together now, right? He said yes?"

Severus blinked in disbelief. "Were you going to use him to convince me if I didn't agree?"

"Yes," Draco replied firmly. "Because you're family, Uncle Severus, and you should want to be with us."

Such a simple argument. How could Severus have said no then? He held out his free hand and Draco took it gleefully. "We're going home now?"

Lucius nodded, looking smug. "All of us, yes."

Severus shook his head. "Stop being smug. I could have easily turned back."

"You couldn't have," Narcissa pointed out. "You were already ours. You just hadn't realized it yet."

With Draco on one side, Narcissa on the other, and Lucius watching over them all, Severus knew that she was right. There was never going to be another answer except this, moving forward all of us as one family. 

"Don't worry," Narcissa whispered to him. "We've got you."

He wrapped an arm around her waist. "Good. I may fall otherwise."

"We'll always catch you," Lucius promised.

Which was everything Severus needed to hear. He smiled, just a little.


End file.
